Key Events

That's it from us! Here are Adkins' thoughts to finish the night

19:03

It's hard to disagree with this!

Detailed analysis of defeat at Bolton

If Hull City were blissfully oblivious as to what awaits them in 2018, the stark and unavoidable reality hit the club square in the face on a new year’s opening day. The Tigers are trouble. Big trouble.

A narrow defeat to Bolton Wanderers was the point that a dismal season plunged new depths. Only goal difference now keeps City above the Championship’s bottom three in a campaign headed one way.

Even Nigel Adkins was hard pushed to find positives from 2018 beginning timidly at the Macron Stadium. City were dreadful for an hour, outfought by an opponent they had outclassed in August.

TIGER TROUBLE: Jackson Irvine of Hull City Tigers shows his frustration after the final whistle against Bolton Wanderers. (Image: Focus Images)

18:28

Adkins on the transfer window

It’s fair to say we’ve had a good conversation behind the scenes and I know we’ve had a conversation with one or two other clubs. Not for people going out, for people coming in. We need to strengthen. We’ve had conversations. We need to identify that we can make things happen for progression. We’ve got a lot of players unavailable at this time and with the business side of things we have to get it right.

But what we are doing is working hard to move forward and all of a sudden things can change for a positive when you get a few results. I know the players are giving everything and I was disappointed by an hour’s performance today but the last half an hour was very good.

18:17

Adkins on the injury situation

As I said the other week, when we came in the first week we had 17 in the treatment room. We’ve had six games now and every game I’ve had to change. I’ve been trying to get a bit of continuity in the team selection and the way we play but every match we’ve had to make a change to the starting XI.

And again I’m talking about who can last the contest. It was great to get 90 minutes from Jon Toral because I believe he is a talented footballer but again from that point of view that is a positive move forward. Fraizer Campbell has got half an hour and I think Nouha has worked his socks off.

You talk about two strikers but you’ve got Jackson Irvine playing just behind to go and bomb on, it’s opportunity to get forward, Jon Toral in the pocket and Jarrod Bowen to get forward. We need to pass the ball quicker and calmer. I keep saying, ‘first pass forward’. I think if you look to get your head up and look to try and penetrate you can get some good possession to give the opposition problems and we could have won the game today. We did have chances. The important thing now is points. We’ve just started the New Year, there’s 20 games to go in the season and I’ve highlighted we need another 10 victories. The reality is there, this is where we are in the division.

17:59

Adkins on missing Larsson

It was a massive shame [Larsson couldn’t start], he was feeling his calf at the end of the game the other day. We had a good meeting with the medical staff today and we knew we would probably get 20 minutes out of him and that was a risk.

I thought ‘let’s put him on the bench and see how the game goes’ because the last thing we want to do is lose him for three weeks.

Seb has been fantastic for us and it gave the opportunity for Kevin Stewart and Markus Henriksen and say, ‘well come on then, come to the party’. But as soon as I put Seb on we moved the ball a hell of a lot quicker and brighter and we moved it nice and sharp, which how I want us to play.

17:54

Adkins wasn't best pleased

It was a disappointing result. We came here in a confident mood but I wasn’t happy with the first half performance as we didn’t find the tempo I wanted to play at with us obviously playing 48 hours ago.

The goal was a good finish from Madine and stupid free-kick to give away. But it was a great finish from him.

We knew the way Bolton were going to play in that manner. It was pouring down with rain but if we could have got the ball down and passed it brightly, we could have presented problems to them. For me we didn’t do that nowhere near well enough.

The last half an hour was a lot better and it was good to get Evandro on the pitch and we changed the formation a little bit. Bowen hit the post, we put the ball in good areas and it was another opportunity to go and score.

17:46

Here's how the table looks tonight.

17:39

Philip Buckingham offers his verdict on the City player performances. Have your say too!

Starters

Allan McGregor

Very little he could to prevent Madine’s free-kick from sailing into the top corner and produced a smart stop after the break to keep out Morais. No blame attached to the keeper for City’s grim loss. 6

Fikayo Tomori

Guilty of conceding the free-kick that led to Bolton’s opener but otherwise a reasonable effort on a bleak afternoon for his team. Pressed higher and higher as the game went on without reward. 6

Michael Dawson

Even with all his experience, the task of containing Madine proved tricky. Forced to take a yellow card on the back of poor control when tripping the Bolton striker and unable to keep Botlon at bay. 5

Michael Hector

Struggled to put his costly weekend mistake to one side in another uncertain performance. A couple of slips almost let Bolton in and he needs to regain composure quickly. A poor couple of days for the centre back. 5

17:14

This doesn't make good reading!

16:58

We'll head down to the press room now to hear what Nigel Adkins has to say

Don’t think he’ll be pleased with this one.

16:58

That result sees City drop to within goal difference of the relegation zone

Unfortunately it’s looking like a battle for survival for the remainder of the season.

16:54

There's the full time whistle

What a poor result. Bolton 1-0 Hull City

16:52

Toral has a last ditch effort

He volleys it from distance and it has Alnwick scrambling. But it misses the target.

90'

Madine misses a great chance to secure the points

He was left unmarked in the area but got a little too much on his header to send it wide.

16:46

Evandro should do better

Quick feet from Toral in the area produces an opportunity for Evandro but he can’t get the effort on target.

16:42

Massive chance for Bowen

Toral floats a ball into the back post, Bowen brings it down but Ola Aina gets in the way of his shot.

16:40

Ten minutes left

Can City find anything at all?

16:39

Evandro is on

Last roll of the dice for Adkins. He replaces Henriksen.

16:38

Dawson is a lucky man

Irvine plays a poor pass back to the defender, Madine nips in, steals the ball and Dawson is forced to bring him down on the edge of the area. Thankfully Hector was back covering and he only gets a yellow.

16:37

City just trying to force it now

But it’s all a little too predictable in attacking areas.

69'

Decisive tackle from Beevers

The ball came to Fraizer Campbell in the penalty area, who tried to turn and get a shot away but Beevers slid in and got the ball away from danger.

16:20

Seb Larsson and Fraizer Campbell coming on

Nouha Dicko and Kevin Stewart off.

16:17

City find the space to break

Toral plays a lovely pass through to Henriksen who is in acres of space on the right side and drives towards the box. But his effort is blocked by Alnwick.

16:15

Great save from McGregor

Morais escapes Hector in the box and diverts Little’s cross goalwards with his head but McGregor gets across well to deny Bolton a second.

16:11

City give it away cheaply in their own half

It comes to Ameobi on the edge of the area and he smashes it high and wide.

48'

Jarrod Bowen hits the post!

A lovely bit of build up play sets Dicko away down the line. He plays a lovely pass across the face of goal to Bowen and with the goal gaping he smashes his shot against the post.

16:04

The teams are back out for the second half as City trail 1-0

Can City find something here to drag themselves back into this?

15:50

Things have to get better in the second half

It’s been pretty lacklustre so far. Is this the performance of a side who have played four games in ten games with minimal changes?

15:50

There's the half time whistle

It’s not been a game of high quality but unfortunately City have been second-best.

44'

Heart in the mouth moment there

Ameobi puts a seemingly harmless ball into the box, but Hector slips. Thankfully so does Madine or that could have been 2-0.